Radar device

Abstract

The radar device is provided with a transmission array antenna, phase shifters, a reception array antenna, a transmission control unit and a signal processing unit. The transmission control unit transmits transmission waves in either a directivity control mode or a MIMO mode. The directivity control mode controls directivity of the transmission array antenna by controlling the phase shifters. The MIMO mode transmits transmission waves so as not to interfere with each other from the selected at least two transmission antenna elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radar device comprising:
 a transmission array antenna provided with a plurality of transmission antenna elements, and configured to transmit transmission waves; 
 a plurality of phase shifters each provided to the plurality of the transmission antenna elements, and configured to change the phase of the transmission waves transmitted from each of the transmission antenna elements provided with the phase shifter; 
 a reception array antenna provided with a plurality of reception antenna elements, and configured to receive reflected waves generated by a target reflecting the transmitted transmission waves; 
 a transmission control unit configured to transmit the transmission waves via the transmission array antenna by either a directivity control mode or a MIMO mode, wherein
 the directivity control mode is an operation mode of the radar device that controls directivity of the transmission waves, by individually controlling the phases of the transmission waves transmitted from each of the transmission antenna elements using the plurality of phase shifters, and 
 the MIMO mode is an operation mode of the radar device that selects at least two of the transmission antenna elements from the plurality of transmission antenna elements, and transmits the transmission waves so as not to interfere with each other from the selected transmission antenna elements; and 
 
 a signal processing unit configured to estimate an orientation of the target from the reflected waves received by the reception array antenna wherein 
 the transmission control unit is configured to:
 when detecting the target present in a specific direction, transmit the transmission waves using the directivity control mode to control directivity; and 
 when detecting the target present in a wide range of directions, transmit the transmission waves using the MIMO mode such that the transmission waves from the selected transmission antenna elements do not interfere with each other. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the transmission control unit, when transmitting the transmission waves in the MIMO mode, is configured to simultaneously transmit different transmission waves from the at least two transmission antenna elements by controlling at least one of the phase shifters among the phase shifters provided to the at least two transmission antenna elements. 
 
     
     
       3. The radar device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the transmission control unit, when transmitting the transmission waves in the MIMO mode, is configured to transmit transmission waves with different frequencies from the at least two transmission antenna elements by controlling at least one of the phase shifters among the phase shifters provided to the at least two transmission antenna elements. 
 
     
     
       4. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of reception antenna element is arranged on a straight line at equal distances, and at least one of the distances between the transmission antenna elements is N×Dr or more, wherein N is the number of the plurality of reception antenna elements and is 2 or larger, and Dr is the distance between the adjoining reception antenna elements. 
 
     
     
       5. The radar device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the plurality of transmission antenna elements is arranged on a straight line at equal distances, and the distance between the adjoining transmission antenna elements is Dr×N/(M−1) or more, wherein M is the number of the plurality of transmission antenna elements and is an integer that is 2 or larger. 
 
     
     
       6. The radar device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the radar device is mounted on a vehicle, and the transmission control unit is configured so that the directivity control mode and the MIMO mode can be shifted depending on at least the running conditions of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       7. The radar device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the radar device is provided with a detection operation selecting unit configured to select a detection operation of either an approaching vehicle detection operation or a crossing vehicle detection operation, wherein the approaching vehicle operation is a detection operation of the radar device that detects other vehicles approaching the vehicle in the front-rear direction, and the crossing vehicle detection operation is a detection operation of the radar device that detects other vehicles approaching the vehicle from the lateral direction, and 
 the transmission control unit is configured such that, when the approaching vehicle detection operation is selected by the detection operation selecting unit, it transmits the transmission waves in the directivity control mode, and when the crossing vehicle detection operation is selected by the detection operation selecting unit, it transmits the transmission waves in the MIMO mode. 
 
     
     
       8. The radar device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the transmission control unit is configured such that, when the speed of the host vehicle is equal to or more than the speed threshold value set in advance, it transmits the transmission waves in the directivity control mode, and when the speed of the host vehicle is less than the speed threshold value, it transmits the transmission waves in the MIMO mode.